On July 12th, 2018

The Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee is proud to announce a partnership with Inclusion NL to help make this year’s 200th Regatta more inclusive and accessible for all patrons.

“We are continuously striving to enhance the experience of the Regatta visitors,” said Chris Neary, Royal St. John’s Regatta President. “If there is anything we can do to ensure the experience is more enjoyable for all we are more than happy to do it.”

New features include event schedules in large print, braille and in audio; designated blue zone parking and a GoBus drop-off location; charging stations for those using power wheelchairs; and accessible portable washrooms. (For complete list, please see backgrounder below.)

“We are very excited about increasing the accessibility features of this year’s Regatta,” said Kathy Hawkins, Manager of Empower’s Inclusion NL services. “There will also be a crew of Inclusion volunteers available at the Regatta to answer any questions and provide assistance. Call (1-844-517-1376) or text (709-697-3323) our Inclusion Line at to get answers to your accessibility questions.”

Regatta Committee and Staff Members have also participated in an Inclusion Training session to increase their awareness of inclusivity.

LeighAnne O’Neill, the Regatta’s General Manager said visitors should also know the races will include a number of extremely loud gun shots, which will denote the start and finish of each race. “There are a number of peak times throughout Regatta Day when crowds are anticipated to be more than 20,000 and this will impede accessibility,” she added. “These times include 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and during the Championship Races in the evening.”

This year marks the Royal St. John’s Regatta 200th anniversary, with the big day scheduled for Wednesday, August 1. For more information or updates, check out the website or social media.

The Regatta Committee is comprised of approximately 50 volunteers from various professional sectors. Inclusion NL is a provincial organization that offers resources to service providers within Newfoundland and Labrador to encourage their inclusion of people with disabilities.

Inclusion Crew Volunteers available throughout the day. Have a question about accessibility? Look for a person in a Blue Inclusion Crew Hat. Visit the Inclusion Tent located at the top of the pond, near the tower.

Event Schedule available in large print, braille and in audio. Available on the website or at the Inclusion Tent on Regatta Day.

Toll Free Inclusion Line 1-844-517-1376 available if you have any accessibility issues/questions. Text Number 709-697-3323.

Designated Accessible Blue Zone Parking on Dominion Parking Lot.

Designated GoBus Drop Off location on Dominion Parking Lot.

Accessible portable washrooms throughout site venue. Accessible washrooms also located at the boathouse and near the Beer Garden.

Accessible Charging Stations located at the boathouse, at the tower at the top of the lake, and at the Marquee on the north side.

Please note that each race will include a number of extremely loud gun shots which denote the start and finish of each race. The gun sequence is as follows:

Start of every race;

Potential for another gunshot within the first minute of each race if there is a false start or issue;

First boat to finish from each race (if a race has multiple categories in the same race, there could be multiple guns fired for the first boat to finish in each race type);

Where possible (timing to change out shells), a gunshot may be fired for the finish of each squirt crew to finish.

There are a number of peak times throughout Regatta Day when crowds are anticipated to be above 20,000 and will impede accessibility. These times include:11:00am-4:30pm and during the Championship Races in the evening.